Serving Up Health: Osteo At Country Week

by Beau Zanin

Swan Hill—I probably haven’t been there since I was 8 years old, but being a country boy from Yarrawonga, it was an exciting opportunity to escape the craziness of Melbourne. The drive there was like no other, travelling through small towns and past multiple lakes. As we hit the 60km/h roadworks, we were off to a good start.

With prior knowledge of Country Week tennis being played in Yarrawonga, I had a rough idea of what we were in for. Spread out over 70+ courts, the setup in Swan Hill was fantastic, and the people we met were even better. Although the weather was reaching into the high 30s, Louise, Taylor, and Jess from Central Mallee Health set up a beautiful area for us to treat patients just outside the Swan Hill Lawn Tennis Club clubhouse, with a view of the courts so we could watch some tennis while working.

I’m not really sure what goes on in Swan Hill during a typical week, but the town was packed! People were everywhere, going out for dinner and staying in various accommodations. It really seemed to be a big boost for the town, which no doubt would have been impacted like all Victorian towns by COVID.

As osteopaths, our goal is to treat and aid patients in becoming the best versions of themselves. However, this trip to Swan Hill was also about learning and absorbing as much information as we could from the qualified osteopaths of the Central Mallee Health team. The opportunity to not only treat a variety of injuries at the tennis with short consults but also observe inside the clinic gave us an in-depth understanding of how Louise runs her well-oiled machine—the beautiful clinic on Gray Street. An unreal place to treat patients, it also boasts a fully equipped gym that was hotter than the coffee we got on Tuesday morning but allowed us to earn the homemade pizzas for dinner and croissants for breakfast, supplied by Taylor and Jess.

Overall, the experience in Swan Hill with the legend that is Louise Bibby was one to remember. I think I can speak on behalf of all the students who participated when I say that I had a great time, felt extremely welcomed, and left feeling more confident in myself after spending a short period in a new environment.